Testimonials

Principals Love It!!!

“Bucket filling has made a huge difference in our school. Office discipline referrals have gone down 85% in the last three years. We had 127 instances of bullying reported two years ago; last year we only had 3!”

-Ray Helmuth, Principal, Van Buren Elementary, Plainfield, IN

“It’s very exciting how easily children understand this tangible and life-changing message.”

-Penny Stocks, Principal, Poupard Elementary, Grosse Pointe, MI

“Now our teachers merely ask the children if they are ‘filling or dipping’ and the dipping stops.”

-Sue Balcueva, Principal, Mark Twain Elementary, Royal Oak, MI

“The Bucketfilling assembly correlates perfectly with our district character clusters and our schools’ anti-bullying policy. It was also a great program for our ‘March is Reading Month’ celebration.”

-Vickie Tisdale, Principal, Windemere View Elementary, Lansing, MI

Teachers and Counselors Embrace It!!!

“A child’s self-esteem can really be hurt by bullies at this age. This program addresses those problems. It’s giving them a positive outlet and reason to stop teasing if they are doing that.”

-Roselie Ruebelman, Counselor, Susick Elementary, Troy, MI

“I read and discussed your book in my middle school classroom. It brought down walls. I asked my students to consider, ‘Are you filling or dipping buckets? What about your friends?’ They got it.”

-Pam Carls, Middle School Teacher, Battle Creek, MI

“Thanks for a great assembly. It was concrete, meaningful, easy to understand, and follow through.”

-Leatha Cudworth, Kindergarten Teacher, Argentine Elementary, Linden, MI

“I am a child clinical psychologist. I love your book! The bucket is a great way to conceptualize self-esteem and feelings of self-worth. I always tell the child that the bully is attempting to build their self-esteem at the expense of the victim. The bucket concept really illustrates that.”

-Karen Quick, Ph.D. North Merrick, NY

“Bucket filling is just contagious. Children love it!”

-Eileen Schmidt, Counselor, Our Lady of Good Counsel Elementary, Plymouth, MI

“I mentor teachers with one to three years experience. I use your book in classes which are ‘behavior challenged’ and encourage new teachers to use the ‘bucketfilling’ technique as a way to promote a positive environment in their classes. Teachers tell me they have noticed a real change in their students’ attitudes and actions. It puts a smile on my face when I hear, ‘Mrs. DeGrandis, I filled a bucket today!'”

-Sarah DeGrandis, Teacher, Cleveland, OH

“What a difference our school has made with just one little concept!”

-Shawna Boomgaard, Teacher, Grayson Elementary, Waterford, MI

“Thank you again for your dedication to getting this message out to kids! The performance was so “real” and relatable for the students. It really kept their attention! We are seeing more bucket filling from our students . . on the playground, lunch room, hallways! So grateful!!!”

-Becky Grady, Dean of Student Learning, Grand Rapids, MI

Kids Get It!!!

“I bullied my sister once and felt I had an empty bucket. I learned how good it feels to be a bucket filler and not dip.”

-Third Grader, Troy, MI

“I never even knew I had a bucket until I read your book and I am already six-years-old. Now I know. I can feel my bucket and when I am with my grandma, it is always full.”

-Nathan, First Grader, Northville, M

“Thank you for teaching me this wonderful thing. I am going to try to do something nice for someone every day at school.”

-Lily, First Grader, Huntington Woods, MI

“Now I understand why my friend is so mean to me. No one ever fills his bucket. His bucket must be really empty. Maybe if I’m nice to him and fill his bucket, he’ll be nice to me too.”

-Giovanni, Second Grader, Waterford, MI